10 Best Weapons In The Marvel Cinematic Universe (And How Powerful They Really Are) 

The Marvel Cinematic Universe has introduced a wide range of characters, many of which wield powerful weapons. When it comes to the Marvel Universe, there is no shortage of remarkable beings, from heroes to villains by way of everything in between. Many of these characters rely on weapons to assist them in their adventures – or misadventures, in some cases – and their equipment often needs to be appropriately powerful in order to be effective. In a continuity practically stuffed full of gods, magic, and incredibly advanced science, only the most powerful and versatile weapons can truly be considered the best.

The MCU has introduced many powerful heroes, as well as villains of equal capabilities. This has led to a hierarchy of equipment established within the MCU, with certain weapons standing out as especially useful as a result. Whether due to raw power or simple versatility, the best MCU weapons often turn out to be the strongest in the franchise.

1) Zeus’ Thunderbolt

As well as being considered the MCU’s most romantic movie, Thor: Love and Thunder shifted the power scale of the MCU considerably. By introducing a whole community of gods into the franchise, Love and Thunder also established several powerful weapons, with Zeus’ Thunderbolt being a clear example. The Thunderbolt is a significant plot point in the movie, and stands out as one of the coolest MCU weapons.

As well as being a powerful projectile and source of energy, Zeus’ Thunderbolt is able to grant its user the ability to teleport. However, its most impressive feature is displayed in Love and Thunder‘s climactic battle, when Thor uses it to imbue Asgard’s children with some of his own power. Exactly how this works isn’t clear, but it makes the Thunderbolt seem one of the MCU’s most exciting new weapons.

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2) Ronan’s Universal Weapon

Though Ronan the Accuser isn’t one of the MCU’s best villains, he is briefly one of its most powerful. Guardians of the Galaxy introduced Ronan as a Kree warlord in the employ of Thanos who eventually gains possession of the Power Stone. Before this, Ronan’s Universal Weapon is already feared and renowned, but once he obtains the Power Stone, it becomes far more formidable.

After Ronan places the Power Stone inside his Universal Weapon, it stands out as a hugely powerful piece of equipment. The Stone is shown to be powerful enough to destroy most beings upon contact, and once combined with Ronan’s weapon it is said to be able to destroy an entire planet simply by touching it. Though Ronan himself is quickly defeated by the Guardians and killed by the Power Stone, his weapon is briefly one of the most powerful in the universe.

3) Mjolnir

As one of the first weapons introduced in the movie timeline of the MCU, Mjolnir remains one of the most iconic in the franchise. Thor’s hammer is perhaps the most well-known weapon in the Marvel Universe, and has become almost synonymous with the God of Thunder. As established from Mjolnir’s first appearance, it is one of the most powerful weapons to exist in the franchise.

As well as being an almost unstoppable force, Mjolnir helps Thor to fly and channels his lightning abilities. In addition, the magic placed upon Mjolnir by Odin means that it can only be lifted by those who are worthy of its power, making it an especially prodigious weapon. For those capable of wielding Mjolnir, it bestows the power of Thor, effectively making its holder a god.

4) The Ten Rings 

Some of the MCU’s most powerful elements weren’t introduced until the Multiverse Saga was already underway, with Shang-Chi‘s Ten Rings being a prime example. Introduced in the movie as the mystical weapon wielded by the Xu Wenwu, the Mandarin, before eventually being bestowed on Shang-Chi in the movie’s final scenes. The MCU’s version of the Ten Rings imbue their wearer with a range of abilities, making them an incredibly powerful weapon.

The Ten Rings are shown to effectively render Xu Wenwu immortal, as well as granting him increased strength and speed, and the ability to create energy blasts. He is also able to manipulate the Rings telekinetically, meaning that their ancient power is remarkably versatile. With the Rings now in his heroic son’s possession, it is likely that their power will be better demonstrated by Shang-Chi in the sequel.

5) Necroswords

The most obvious iteration of a Necrosword to appear in the MCU came in Thor: Love and Thunder, where All-Black presented itself to and was subsequently wielded by Gorr the God Butcher. However, they had also made an earlier appearance, as Hela sported two Necroswords of her own in Thor: Ragnarok. On both occasions, they proved to be formidable weapons that marked their users as especially dangerous villains.

Though the different Necroswords seemingly possessed different qualities, they were both capable of remarkable feats. Gorr’s sword was capable of killing gods, while Hela’s were able to subdue the armies of Asgard as well as Thor, Hulk, Valkyrie, and Loki all at once. The MCU may not have fully established their exact place within the power hierarchy of the franchise, but it’s clear that Necroswords rank as some of its most deadly weapons.

6) Ms. Marvel’s Quantum Bands

First introduced in her own 2022 Disney+ series, Kamala Khan has been firmly established as one of the MCU’s best young heroes. After gaining her abilities from one cosmic bangle, the discovery of a second prompted the events of The Marvels. By the movie’s end, Ms. Marvel found herself wielding both Quantum Bands, which have been confirmed as incredibly powerful artifacts within the MCU’s narrative.

When Dar-Benn attempted to use the power of both Quantum Bands, she inadvertently ripped a hole in the fabric of reality. The amount of energy required to do so coming from the Bands makes them seem particularly powerful, and Ms. Marvel has proven herself capable of wielding them. With her newfound power and equipped with two incredible Quantum Bands, Ms. Marvel has now begun to assemble her own team of the MCU’s Young Avengers.

7) Gungnir 

Although Odin made multiple appearances in the MCU, he was still somewhat wasted by his portrayal in the franchise. The All-Father’s power level was only alluded to rather than fully shown, but his spear Gungnir is undeniably one of the most fearsome weapons in the franchise. It was seemingly destroyed along with Asgard at the end of Thor: Ragnarok, but its place has been cemented in the history of the MCU.

Much like his son Thor’s weapons, Odin’s spear was made of Uru, making it incredibly durable. Gungnir’s power seems to border on the magical, but it has been shown to manipulate various forms of energy. It was used by Bor before Odin in various conflicts throughout history, and its power led to it becoming a symbol of Asgard’s ruler, making it powerful on a metaphorical level, too.

8) Stormbreaker 

Being able to specifically rank Asgardian weapons in terms of power in the MCU isn’t easy, as some have received far more attention than others. However, the movie franchise has appeared to set Stormbreaker apart, subtly establishing it as Thor’s most powerful weapon. As well as sharing many of the properties of Mjolnir, Stormbreaker’s handle is made from Groot’s own body, and the axe has also displayed other abilities.

Stormbreaker has been established as having some degree of sentience, and was described by Eitri as being intended as the most powerful weapon in Asgard’s history. It can control Bifrost energy, channel Thor’s own power, and seemingly heal the God of Thunder immediately after it is forged. In terms of the MCU, Stormbreaker is by far one of the most powerful traditional weapons ever introduced into the franchise.

9) The Darkhold 

Few developments have proved as tragic as Scarlet Witch’s MCU fate, with the former Avenger choosing to seeming end her own life rather than continue to be corrupted by the power of the Darkhold. Also known as the Book of the Damned, the Darkhold was first introduced in WandaVision, where it was in the possession of Agatha Harkness. After being taken by Wanda Maximoff, it corrupted her into the villainous Scarlet Witch.

The Darkhold’s power was better explored in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, where it was confirmed to contain magic capable of destroying the fabric of reality. Wanda’s use of the Darkhold threatened countless timelines, and seemed to make her unstoppable. It is one of the most powerful artifacts introduced into the MCU, and, in the wrong hands, an unspeakably dangerous weapon.

10) The Nano-Gauntlet 

Iron Man’s was one of the saddest deaths in the MCU, but it’s often overlooked just how much of a role was played by the Nano-Gauntlet in Avengers: Endgame‘s epic conclusion. The Nano-Gauntlet created by Tony Stark was the only reason the Avengers were able to harness the power of the Infinity Stones, and its capabilities were first displayed by Smart Hulk when he reversed the effects of Thanos’ original Snap. The Battle of Earth saw it pass into Iron Man’s possession, where he used it to kill Thanos.

The Nano-Gauntlet is perhaps the most powerful weapon in the universe, on the condition that it is equipped with all of the Infinity Stones. Its nature means it can adapt to any user, fitting both Hulk and Iron Man despite their obvious physiological differences. Using it to harness the power of the Infinity Stones obviously carries potentially fatal consequences, but its limitless potential makes it possibly the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s most powerful weapon.